Bandage



Fell 2f 1943. D. A. HoLBRooKE y 2,310,082

BANDAGE Filed April s, 1940 INVENTOR. EA/V /oL BROOKE @mim TTOR/VEY Patented Feb. 2, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BANDAGE I Dan A. Holbrooke, New York, N. Y. Applir..tion April i6, 1940, Serial No. 328,192

1 Claim. (a. 12S-156) This invention relates to a bandage such as generally used for dressing wounds, joining fractured and dislocated bones, and for similar purposes.

Bandages of the conventional type have the drawback that they must be knotted or require additional means, such as pins or adhesive tape, to secure the end of the last turniwound about the part to which the bandage is applied. Furthermore, body parts such as the head, a joint, or a part of conical shape, e. g. the lower arm or the calf, need a very great length of skillfully wound bandage material in order to prevent slippage caused by the movements of a restless patient. That means, a large percentage of material is wasted in securing the bandage rather than usefully employed for dressing a wound or a body part needing a bandage for other reasons. 'I'his has the additional undesired effect that the bandage made of many layers is unnecessarily heavy, excludes the access of air where the air is desirable. and that it frequently makes the patient feel uncomfortably warm.

The invention contemplates to avoid these drawbacks. It consists in a bandage, the turns of which adhere to the body part whose skin they engage, as well as to each other where they are superimposed, and which bandage may be easily and practically painlessly removed. The bandage according to the invention comprises a strip of fabric and an adhesive material applied to at least one surface of the fabric in a recurring pattern throughout the length of the bandage, the adhesive portions being considerably less in at least one dimension than the non-adhesive portions, and being of small size in at least one extension relatively to the surface area of the fabric.

Further objects and details of my invention will be apparent fromthe description hereinafter and the accompanying drawing illustratingl several embodiments thereof by wayof example. In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a plan view of a portion of a bandage according to the invention Figs. 2 and 3 show modifications, in which the fabric differs from that of the bandages in Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a cross-section taken-along line 4 4 in Fig. l on an enlarged scale, and

Fig. 5 illustrates the bandage of Fig. l applied to a human arm.

Referring now to the drawing, the bandage illustrated in Fig. 1, comprises a strip of fabric I9 to which adhesive is applied as will be described hereinafter. The fabric may be of any suitable material; it may be of a gauzy texture for light bandages. or it may consist of a heavier textile for use in heavier bandages. In width and length, the fabric strip may have any desired v. least one extension relatively to the surface area of the fabric. 'This ls done because, on the one hand only slightly adhering properties arek required in order to secure the bandage tothe body part to which it is applied so as to prevent it from slipping, and on the other hand, it is desired that the bandage may be removed easily and without causing pain as is frequently the case when adhesive tape is pulled oft' the skin to which it adheres. However, it will be understood, that the quantity of adhesive used per unit of length` of the fabric may diier e. g. owing to the width of the bandages, or in consideration of the particular purpose for which the bandage is used. The adhesive substance should be harmless to the human skin. It should not lose its adhesive qualities for a reasonable time of storing, and it should not adhere too strongly to the fabric, in order to prevent the individual layers from sticking unseparably together when the bandage is rolled prior to its being used. A substance, as conventionally employed in the proi duction of adhesive tapes, serves the purpose. Thus, the adhesive may have a rubber, resin, or wax basis without or with the addition of an absorbent powder. However, other adhesive substances may also be used provided they have the above-mentioned properties.

In Fig. 1. the recurring pattern in which the adhesive is applied, consists in a zigzag arrangement of individual dots Il slightly spaced from the edges I2 and I3 of the strip I0. Although the size of the dots and their distance from the edges I 2 and I 3 may be suitably selected as desired, I have found that good results may be obtained if the angle a of the imaginary zigzag line I4 connecting the dot centers is between 90 and the diameter e of the dots between 2 and l0 millimeters and the distance d from the edges between 3 and 15 millimeters depending on the 2 width w of the strip I0. Thus, for awidth w f 25 millimeters, an angle a of 120. distance d of 5 millimeters and diameter e of 2 millimeters serve the purpose, whereas dots of larger size may be had in widerbandages. The adhesive substance may be applied to both surfaces of the fabric strip, in order to make it possible to use either side as the lower one. However, I prefer to provide only one surface with the adhesive to avoid stickiness of the outside of the bandage. Nevertheless, it may happen that the adhesive applied to the one surface passesv through the meshes of the fabricfparticularly if the latter is of the gauz-y type, and it may also happen that an adhesive dot tears out individual threads of the fabric when the bandage is rolled olf prior to its being used, or when it is removed from a bandaged body part. This can be avoided by providing, according to the invention, an intermediate layer I5 between the fabric I0 and the adhesive II as shown in Fig. 4. The layer I5 need not be appreciably larger than the adhesive dot or other pattern element; it is sufficient if both are of approximately equal size. The substance of the intermediate layer should have the quality of becoming dry after it has been applied to the fabric, either without or with the help of an additional treatment as is well known in the art with respect to substances useful for the purpose here under consideration. The substance, when dry, should have greater adhesive property in relation to the fabric, than the material of the dot II. I have found that e. g. cellulosic or cellophane-like matter which coagulates after the application, and paraffin which becomes dry at normal temperature after it has been applied in a. hot state, are examples of substances serving the purpose. However, other substances having the above-mentioned qualities may be used if so desired. It will be understood that the intermediate layer hereinbefore described is not a necessary expedient of the bandage according to my invention. Whether the provision of such intermediate layer will be advisable depends on the type of fabric and the kind of adhesive substance employed, meaning that e. g. in heavy bandages, generally, no intermediate layer will be required.

Although, the described dot pattern will generally suflice to hold the bandage, I prefer to provide an additional adhesive means in order to secure the ends of such strip portion as may be used for a. bandage throughout their entire width. For this purpose, I apply transverse stripes of adhesive substance in a manner similar to that described with respect to the dots II; that is to say, with or without an intermediate layer. The stripes I6 are spaced from each other a multiple of the longitudinal distance of two subsequent dots I I near the same edge I2 or I3 of the strip III. The spacing of the stripes is so selected asr to conform with the length of a strip portion required for an average bandage. Since narrower fabric strips are commonly used for body parts having-a smaller circumference, and wider strips for parts of larger circumference, the spacing of the transverse strips can be suitably selected shorter or longer according to the width of the fabric. I recommend making the individual stripes I6 wide enough so that by severing the fabric transversely through the middle of stripes "I6,' each Ie'nd is provided with an adhesive edge of half the width the stripes I8 had originally. An entire width of 4 or 5 millimeters is usually sumcient. However, it is preferred to arrange the stripes I6 in pairs with a slight space I1 between the two stripes of a pair as shown in Fig. l. This facilitates the severing of the fabric because the adhesive will not stick to the scissors cutting the fabric between the two adjacent stripes I6 rather than through a stripe I6 proper. In the case of stripes I6 being provided in pairs, the width f of each of the stripes and the width g of the space therebetween may be approximately 2 or 3 millimeters. However, larger widths may be used if so desired.

The method of applying the adhesive to the fabric is no part of the present invention.'

Therefore, it is sufficient to state that the elements of the pattern may be applied either individually or in a. continuous operation e. g. with the aid of a pair of rollers between which the strip of fabric is passed, and one of which rollers comprises the means for putting on the fabric the adhesive and, if utilized, the substance of the intermediate layer. 1n using paraffin as such substance, the production may take place in an aseptic atmosphere. If a cellulosic or Cellophone-like matter is used, sterilization may be effected.

The bandage according to my invention may be applied as illustrated in Fig. 5. In this case it is assumed that the bandage serves to hold a pad I8 on a wounded arm I9. The one end of strip Ill is afxed to the skin with the adhesive stripe I6a and then wound in the conventional manner about the arm with the pad I8 thereon so that the individual turns partly overlap each other. When a suiiicient length of the arm is covered the fabric will be cut between the next following pair of stripes I6 and the `free end with the adhesive stripe IBb is pressed down on the skin. Now it will be clear, that all dots IIa which are close to the edge I2 will stick to the skin of the arm or to the pad I8 whereas all dots IIb, except those of the rst turn which also stick to the skin, will stick to the preceding turn of the bandage. Thus not only the bandage is held in position relatively to the arm, but also the individual turns are held in relation to each other. This offers the advantage in addition to others hereinbefore mentioned that the bandage may be wound tightly in front and in the rear of the pad I8, and more loosely on the wound proper without endangering its perfect hold.

As stated hereinbefore, any suitable pattern may be selected for applying the adhesive to 'the fabric. The dot pattern of Fie. 1, contains approximately the least amount of adhesive required to obtain the desired result.

Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate a fabric differing from that of the embodiments 1 to 3 wherein the meshes are of approximately equal size throughout the length and Width of the strip I0. This modified fabric makes the application of an intermedlate layer such as I5 in Fig. 4 superfluous even if it is in general of a texture and consists of threads which otherwise would require an intermediate layer according to the hereinbeforementioned statements. The strip 22 of Fig.'2 has meshes 23 of conventional size. At a slight distance from the edges 24 and 25 however, a number of warp threads are positioned closer to each other than in the remainder of the fabric. Thus two longitudinal stripes 26 and 21 of sultable width e. g. 2 or 3 millimeters are produced which are denser in texture. These stripes serve as a base for the adhesive applied thereto. In a similar manner, denser transverse stripes 2l may be produced in an arrangement corresponding to that of the hereinbefore mentioned stripes IB of embodiments l to 3. The stripes 28 are obtained by placing a number of Woof threads closer to each other than normally. The adhesive may beA applied by either impregnating the threads of the so-produced stripes 26, 2 and 28, or, as shown at 29 and 30 in Fig. 3, by providing the stripes 26 to 21 with the adhesive e. g. in a pattern similar to that of Fig. 1.

'Ihe bandage according to my invention can be employed wherever` a conventional bandage is useful. It offers the advantage that slipping will be avoided. It facilitates the dressing of body parts which otherwise require skillful and complicated handling of the bandage in order to give a good t. It makes it possible to produce compression only in a limited area of the bandaged body portion. It can be used instead of an adhesive plaster and as a means of flrst aid to luxations and fractures. It does not require additional means in order to secure its free ends. It saves very considerable time in the dressing of injured body parts and requires much less material than a conventional bandage.

All of the embodiments of my invention illustrated in the drawing oier the enumerated advantages and, in addition thereto, have very decisive merits owing to the fact that the adhesive substance intermediate two consecutive transverse stripes or pairs of transverse stripes is present only in narrow zones near the longitudinal edges of the fabric. Consequently, al-

most the whole width of the fabric is entirely freeto give, that means the Woof and warp threads are free to shift in relation to each other when the bandage is applied to a body portion. This is extremely desirable when the bandage is used for compression. The bandages,

according to my invention. have the remarkable feature, as stated hereinbeiore, that partial lcompression can be applied to a body portion.

If so desired, one may start by attaching the first transverse stripe of such a bandage to the skin and winding the bandage loosely until one of the subsequent transverse stripes can be fixed to the skin and the preceding convolution. 'I'hen the following turns may be applied while exerting a strong pull which, however, will not act .backward beyond the last xed transverse stripe.

Beginning from one of the then-following transverse stripes, the remainder of the required convolutions may again be wound loosely and the end maybe secured by a transverse stripe as hereinbefore explained. It will be clear that a bandage so applied will effect compression only in the part where compression is desired, whereas the loosely wound portions exclude the danger of a necrosis owing to a disturbance of the blood circulation.

Although I have described only certain embodiments of my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications and alterations may be made without departing from the essence of my invention the scope of which, therefore, shall belimited only DAN A. HOLBROOm 

